Can't Accept
by NJ7009
Summary: One day, Tigress makes the choice to leave the Jade Palace. Once Po confronts the tiger about her decision on the steps leading to the Jade Palace, Tigress admits that there are a few things she can't bring herself to accept. A small one-shot dedicated to AnimationGirl. Slight Ti/Po at the end if you squint. Rated T just in case.


**This one-shot is dedicated to AnimationGirl whom I look up to as a writer. I hope you like this story, Ani :)**

**I don't own KFP**

"You don't understand, Po. You never will. You are a big fat panda with no real talent for Kung fu at all, but somehow, you became the Dragon Warrior. Your whole life has been a luxury! You never had to train or work hard. Heck! You haven't even witnessed the death of a comrade yet. How on earth can you possibly think you know what I have gone through, my whole life!?"

Po stood, speechless and lost for words, as his comrade - or was it his former comrade - stood before him with a dark expression. The south chinese tiger was angry, he understood that, but he never expected such an outburst. Then again, there was a lot of things he didn't expect the southern chinese to do today.

When Tigress had announced with her usual monotone voice that she was leaving the Jade Palace for good, he, the rest of the five and Shifu had all been more than a little shocked. What shocked him even more was once the five and the grand master tried to stop her, she had attacked them; knocking all the remaining five unconscious and badly injuring Shifu before swiftly exiting the scene without a word on the matter. Po had rushed out after her, leaving Shifu to take care of the five, and had found her walking down the millions of steps which led to the village below.

After a little talking, Tigress had said that and now Po didn't know what to say.

Tigress was tense with a pugnacious glance as her paws closed into fists, ready to swipe at the panda before her. Po knew he stood no chance against the Master of the Tiger Style should they get into a fight, but he also prepared himself to fight. Though he was somewhat reluctant. Spreading his feet apart on the steps, Po got into a similar fighting stance to the tiger. Gulping down saliva that was forming in his mouth.

The tiger master stared at the panda with an expressionless glance at first, like she didn't understand or didn't care about him preparing to fight her. More moments passed and finally, Tigress snorted as she got out of her fighting stance and grinned with a very patronizing smile. "No comment then, Po?"

The panda gulped saliva again before he got out of his fighting stance. "What do you mean I don't understand?" He forced a laugh which Tigress returned with a disapproving look. Po glanced at the floor. "My parents were killed by Shen and you also don't have your biological parents by your side. I understand what you have gone through in a way..."

"...No you don't, Po!" Tigress stated bluntly, cutting her comrade of. "You were never alone. _Never!_ You may not have your real parents to look after you but you have a father; that weird goose. He raised you, cared for you, loved you... I don't know what that is like. I never felt any warmth from a parent. Shifu freed me from the orphanage, true, but he didn't love me. Didn't care for me. He just wanted a warrior! He didn't want a daughter."

Po couldn't help but feel sympathy for the orphaned tiger. He knew Shifu was far from a caring person since Tai Lung... well he had gotten better these days... but he never expected Tigress to feel that Shifu didn't even want her. That she wasn't loved. Shifu may never admit it but Po felt he did love Tigress... he just didn't express it.

"So you are leaving because you are angry at Shifu?" Po asked, unsure if he should be asking this question. He still didn't know why his tiger friend was leaving the palace.

Tigress sighed. "I am angry at Shifu, yes, but that is not the reason I am leaving." Tigress looked at Po dead in the eye. "I am leaving because of you."

"Because of me!?" Po squeaked. "Why?"

"I would think you should already know the answer to that," Tigress said. When Po continued to look clueless, she sighed before saying, "It is because you were chosen to be the Dragon Warrior over me. I had trained my entire life to become the Dragon Warrior. It was my one goal in life; my one way to impress my adoptive father. I won't tell you how many times I had broken and fractured a bone through training towards that one goal. Then, the day arrived for the Dragon Warrior to be chosen. Oogway was about to choose me when you, the fattest most... stupid darn panda in this whole world fell in front of me." Tigress clenched her fists whilst grinding her very sharp teeth.

"That was the worst moment of my life. I have always hated you for that one day. I have tried to force myself to like you, I even saved your life once in hope that I could somehow forget that one day, but I can't! I simply cannot. You're an incompetent fool who I cannot even think to accept for the Dragon Warrior. For that reason, I am leaving as I know if I stay, I will kill you in the end. My anger will get the best of me and my claw will be slicing open your throat."

Tigress turned away from the Dragon Warrior. "I hate you, Po. But I don't want your blood on my hands either. The five accept you as the Dragon Warrior for some unknown reason, and they will put a price on my head if you die. Even if I have known them far longer than you."

Tigress stood a little taller. "However, Po, you _can_ stick by what you set out to do to bring me back to the Jade Palace. You can challenge me to a fight and I will accept without hesitation but you would be no more than a fool if you do that as I will kill you."

The tiger stepped down to the next step. "So, panda, cling to your wretched life and challenge me once you are strong. Once you finally beat me, I will accept you as the Dragon Warrior but I know that will never happen. Your soul is weak and so is your body." Tigress stepped down another step. "So, Po, until you feel you are strong. This is goodbye."

That is when Tigress got down on all fours and began to run down the steps of the Jade Palace until she was out of sight. Po watched her go and once she was finally out of sight, the panda warrior looked up at the stars and murmured, "You will see me again, Tigress as I will definitely bring you back to the palace." He told himself. "Even if it costs me my life."

**Please review guys, it means a lot.**


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